Process for the treatment of fibers



J. L. TUFTS PROCESS FOR THE` TREATMENT OFQFIBERS June 5, 1928.'

Filed Nov. l5 1922 Patented June 5, 192.8,l

v uNl'rJezD j STATES' JOHN L.. TUFTS, F WESTBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.-

PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT 0F FIBEBS.

'Application mea November 15, 1922. sei-nnv no. 601,040.

My invention relates to processes for the treatment of fibers and devices suitable therefor and refers particularly to processes for the washing and scouring of wo'ol and apparatus applicable for the propercarrying out of my processes.

, i -One object'of my invention is a rocessV for the wet treatment of wool where y it may vbe washed and scoured by a new and novel method, resulting in economy of treatment and eiliciency of results.

These and other objects ofv my invention and its adapta-bility for the treatment of, e

panying drawi various `fibers will evident upon a consideration of my specifica-tion and its accom- Without limiting my process to the scouring of wool, I will describe its application i Aforthat vpurposeas a means for properly presenting my invention.

Wool is usually scoured by passing it through a series, or plurality, of bowls each tratedl with the addedchemicals and salts in conjunction-with the salts, greases, waxes, &c., freed from the wool, while the removed dirt and other insoluble and .objectionable matter collect within the bowl.

It is evident that this process'results in the rapid production of a liquor that is totally unfit forthe cleansing or scouring of the wool, and thattherefore, it is' necessary` to remove the liquor from the bowl and recharge it with'a new scouring liquid.

'I'h1s process, therefore, among many other objectionable featles, possesses the disadomy of chemicals, time, labor and operative vantage of loss of efficiency of the'scouring products and loss of time incident to bowl solution removal.

My process overcomes the vabove-mentioned and many other defective features of the generally employedprocesses and presents a means whereby the -wool can be improved in quality of cleanliness with econexpenses and with a greater and more simple recovery of the valuable by-products of` the scouring process.

My process may be followed eitherl intermittently or continuously, and is particularly well adapted for the more economical andl rapid continuous process 'of treatment.

In ageneral way, my process is practical in a series, or plurality, of ordinary scouring bowls, each having a foraminous false bottom and an outlet pipe, or outlet pipes, therefrom, squeeze rollers *being positioned between each pair of adjacent bowls, so that the greater portion of the liquid'carried by the wool in its passage from one bowl to.

another bowl will be pressed4 out, thus removing a large quantity of mixed fats, chemicals, solid and liquid im urities prior to the wool entry into the next owl. Any suitable wool moving device, such as rakes or otherwise, may be employed and the bowls have liquid-carrying means bowls.

I collect theliquors from the between the first two bowls an through a centrifugal which will divide them into three portions, viz: mud lwhich maybe discarded, or worked, for secondar ueeze-roller products if desired; a grease mixture whic contains Grease and the cleaned li uor carried theriy which latter contains t e soluble salts and soaps; and the cleaned liquor.

between Y adjacentv pass them The cleaned liquors containing the wash-l ing and scouring-m edients and practically),

freed. from deleterlous materials obtained from the centrifugal separation are returned to the forward portion of the first bowl, in order that their full etliciency may be exercised upon the uncleansed wool. This operation may be continuous andy work automatically upon the liquid directly as obtained from the' first squeeze rollers, or it may be allowed to collect in tanks and worked therefrom. as desired.`

I collecty the liquor from eachother pair of squeeze rollers and .conduct it into the forward art of the bowlfrom which it was removed y the wool.

The mud-and insoluble matters collecting in the bottoms of the bowls, as well as the Amixture of solutions and Suspended matters above the insolublematters, are'removed as desired, either continuously or intermittently and separated by a centrifugal into the three portions mentioned above and employed as therein described.

During the process, fresh water and scouring solutions nare introduced into one of the latter bowls. of the series, and hence, passes forwardly through the series in a reverse direction to the movement of the wool.

Further details of my process and device will be evident upon-a consideration of the following example of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, which are graphic illustrations of ene forni) of the device of my invention, similarparts are designated by similar numerals.

Figure 1 is a .graphic side view of one form of my device.

Figure 2 isa top plan view of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawings, my device comprises a plurality of rectangular bowls 10, 11, 12, a'nd 13 having their bottoms in the form of truncated pyramids. i

Intermediate of the bowls ;-11, 11-1'2 and 12-13, are respectively a pair of squeeze rollers 14, 14; 15, 15; 16, 16; a pair of guides 17, 17 being so situated with respect to the rollers as to act as a guide for wool passing from one bowl to the adjacent bowl throu h the intermediate squeeze rollers.

ownwardly extended pyramidal trough 18 is so situated as to catch the liquids from the squeeze rollers 14, 14,'the lower end of the trough being l.connected to thecentrifugal 19 by means ofthe pipe T20 having the valve 21.

The lower portion of the bowl 10' is connected to the pipe 20 by means of the pipe 22 having the valves 23 and 24.

'I he centrifugal 19 'is'. connected to the heater 25 by the grease discharge pipe 26 having the valve 27 and theheater 25 is coni nected to the centrifugal 28 by the pipe 29.

A pipe 30, feeding into the forward end of the bowl 1Q is connected with the discharge side of the centrifugal pump 31, the

' receiving side of which is connected vto the centrifugal 28 by the pipe 32 having the valves 33 and 34.

The centrifugal 19 is connected to the pipe 32 between the.valves 33 and 34 by the cleaned liquor pipe 35 having the valve 36.

A pipe 37, having the valve 38, connect-s the centrifugal 19'with a waste deposit, not shown, and the centrifugal 28 has the exit pipe39 having the valve 40. v

Beneath the squeeze rollers 15, 15 is a trough 41, the lower portion of which is connected to the receiving side of the centrifugal pump 42 by the pipe 43 having the valve 44. The delivery side of the pump 42 is connected to the pipe 45 which delivers l into the forward end of the bowl 11.

Beneath the squeeze rollers 16, 16 visa trough 46, the lower portion of which is connected to the receiving side of the centrifugal pump 47 by the pipe 48 having the valve 49. The Adelivery side of the pump 47 is connected to the pipe '50 which deliversv into the forward end of the bowl 12.v

A. pipe 51 connects the liquids in the bowls 10 and 11, a pipe 52` connects the liquids in the bowls 11 and 12 and a'pipe 53 connects A pipe 56, having the valve 57, connects the bottom portion of the bowl ill-with the pipe 54" and a pipe 58, having the valve 59, connects the bottom portion of the bowl 12 with the pipe 54. A

The operatio'n of the device is as follows f The desired scouring, or washing, liquid is placed within the bowls 10, 11, 12 and 13 and the dirty, unwashed, wool is introduced into the bowl 10 and .by means of rakes, is passed through the liquid in bowl 10 in the direction of the arrow A, the wool then passes through the squeeze rollers 14, 14 Vinto the bowl 11, thencethrough the squeeze roll; ers 15, 15 into bowl 12, thence through the squeeze rollers 16, 16 into bowl 13 and thence outwardly in its cleaned condition.

The amount of water removed, associated with mud, is replaced by the addition of water to the .bowl 13, as indicated by the arrow B, the same liquid level in all yof the bowls being accomplished vby means of thel connectingn pipes 51, 52 and 53. In this manner, the'. wool `moves in the direction of the arrow A and the liquid in the reverse direction as indicated `by the arrow B.

During tl1is operation,fthe val-ves23, 57

and 59'are closed, thus allowing an accumulation of the heavier dirt in the lower 'por-- tion of the bowls.

The liquid from the squeeze rollers 16,

16 passes through the pipe 48, the pum` 47 and the pipe 50 into the forward end o v the bowl12.

The liquid froml the squeeze rollers 15,

v15(passes through the pipe 43, the pum ,42 v i an the pipe 45 into the forward end o the 'i bowl 11. n

The liquid from the squeeze rollers 14, 14:

passes through the pipe 20 into the centrifugal 19. This vcentrifugal 19 is a slow speed bulk centrifugal, so constructed as to divide -the liquid contents .into three por` tions, due to theirdifference in specific gravity, viz mud, a greasemiziture and a cleaned liquid containing the soluble salts and soaps, &c.

The mud passes outwardly through the pipe 37.

The cleaned liquid passes outwardly through the pipesI 35 and 32, the pump 31 and thepipe 30 intothe forward end'of' the 'bowl 10.

- The'l grease mixture passes outwardly" n n-fasse V l through the pipe-.26 andthe heater 25 in] outwardly through the pipe 39 and the cleaned liquid contents, passing outwardly through the pipe 32 to the forward end of t e bowl 10. lWhen it is desired to remove the mud I from the liquid contents of the bowl 10, the

valves 23 and 24 of the ipe 22 are opened and the mud contents of t e bowl 10 are thus introduced by gravity into the pipe 20 for treatment as above. The removal and separation from the mud contents of the otler bowls are simultaneously accomplished by opening the corresponding valves. 4

A consideration of the above shows that by the introduction of thev proper amount of water .and washing ingredients into the last, the purer liquid 1s automatically advanced against the movement of the wool, thus continually increasing the grease and cleansing ingredient content'and' dirt content of the first bowl and that the liquid in this first -bowl iis-being continually automatically separated into itsmud content which is eliminated, into grease which is eliminated and recovered and into the soluble salt and soap vvforward end of the first bowl for the treatmaterials which are re-introduced into the ment 'of the newly introducedA wool.

My rocess,'-therefore, avoids a concentra- -tion o grease emulsion in the first bowl to theextent of striking back upon the wool,

,and also-avoids an accumulation of dirt in this bowl to the extent of retarding the cleansing process.

In my` device there is a constant movement ofthe soluble matters and emulsions toward the trstbowl, thus leaving the scouring materials in :the last bo'wls comparatively clean and-1n such a condition as to allow-of most veectivefinahaction Aupon the wool.

At the same time the accumulation of mat- I ters 4in the-` first bowl is being continuously removed andseparated into their compbnent parts, thus allowing the liquor in the first l Ihe high concentration of the liquors 'of my process resulting from the treatment of wool, due to its steps ofprocedurens a valuable feature in lthat it allows of fmor`e -eiiicient and economical Aacid treatment' of the liquors known in the industryas crackving and other desired treatments becauseA of the smaller volume of l-i uor involved.

c A consideration ofithea of myprocessand apparatus will disclose its a series of receptacles, pass ing the uncleaned ve 'description lnovelty and many valuablefeatures.

I do not limit myself to the particular size, shape, number or arrangement of parts,

nor to the materials mentioned, nor tothe exact sequence of steps described and shown above, as these are given simply by way of example, in order to clearly describe my ventlon. l

What I claim is 1. In a continuous process for the recover of wool grease from wool, the steps whic comprise assing a scouring liquor through a series o receptacles, passing the uncleaned wool through the series of receptacles in reverse direction to the movement of the liquor, passing :the wool between squeeze rollers in its passage from one receptacle to the next receptacle, returning the squeezed liquid into Ithe forward portion of the -receptacle from which it was obtained, separating the li uor from the first squeeze rollers into mu grease mixture and' cleaned liquor and returning the cleaned liquor to the wool treatment receptacle in which it has been taken up by the wool.

' 2. In a continuous process for the recover ofwool grease from wool, the steps `whic comprise passing a scouring liqiior through a series yof receptacles, passing t e uncleaned wool through the series of receptacles in re- 'verse direction to the movement of the -li uor, passing the vwool between squeeze ro 1ers in its passage from one receptacle to the next receptacle, separating the liquor from the lirst squeeze rollers into mud, grease mixture and cleaned liquor, returning the cleaned liquor to the receptacle from which it was removed and returning the liquor from each subsequent set of squeezerollers to the forward portion ofthe wool treatment receptacle in which it lhas been taken upby the wool.

3.l In a continuous ery of wool grease rom wool, the steps which comprise passing a scouring liquor.

through a series of receptacles, passing the uncleaned wool through the series of receptacles in reverse directionto the movement of the liquor, passing the wool between rocess for the recov-A no i squeeze rollers in itsl passage from o ne receptacle to the next receptacle, returning the squeezed liquid into rthe `forward p0rtion ofthe receptacle from which it was 0btained, separating the liquor .from the first Asqueeze rollers intol mud, grease mixture and cleaned liquor, returning the cleaned liquor to the-receptacle from which 1t was removed,

separating the grease mixture intorease.

and, cleaned liquor and returning the c` eaned liquor thus obtained to the wool treatment receptacle in which it has been taken up by the wool.l v

4. In a continuous process -or the recovery. of wool grease from wool, the steps which comprise passing a scouring liquor through wool through'v the series of receptacles in reverse direction to the movement of the liquor, passing the wool between squeeze rollers in its passage from one receptacle to the next receptacle, returning the squeezed liquid into the forward portion of the rel ceptacle from which it was obtained, separating the liquid from the first squeeze rollers into mud, grease mixture and cleaned liquor, returning the cleaned liquor to the receptacle from which it was removed, re-

moving the mud contents om the bottom 'of the first receptacle, separating the cleaned liquor'from the mud content andl returning the cleaned liquor to the wool treatment rereceptacle in which it has been taken up by y the wool. t y 4 Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this V13th day of November, 1922.

JOHN L. TUFTS. 

